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The walls are down and the free public WiFi is up and running at the Bank of Montreal’s flagship branch in the heart of Toronto’s financial district.

The redesign aims to make customers feel more at home while also acknowledging their growing use of technology, bank officials said.

“When you think of a traditional branch, a lot of the staff were hidden behind partitions and doors. Now, people walk in here and you’ve got a more vibrant environment,” says Paul Dilda, head of branch and ATM channels, North America for BMO Financial Group. “What we observed with the redesign — and we have research that measured this — is that people feel the bankers are more approachable.”

The move comes as consumer attitudes toward financial services are rapidly evolving — along with their habits.

The consulting firm predicted the results would drive banks to bring more technology into their branches.

Some 55 per cent of Canadians bank via the Internet, according to the Canadian Bankers Association. Nearly one-third of Canadians used mobile banking in the past year. And 85 per cent of Canadians use ABMs when making cash withdrawals.

Banks are also facing more challenges from Apple and Google, as those technology giants develop competing mobile payment systems.

BMO says customers still want and need personal advice.

While some day-to-day banking might disappear from the branch, many people still need help taking out a mortgage or making their first investment, Dilda said.

“There will always be a place for guidance and problem resolution,” he said.

But the branch is now also helping customers learn to navigate online products and is encouraging customers to use their own devices while interacting with staff, he said.

Visually, the redesigned branch is meant to feel more open and welcoming.

The traditional tellers’ counter — an impenetrable slab of marble — was broken up into individual stations with stools for customers. Meetings with financial service advisors take place at open desks. And customers who want more privacy can choose from a soundproof “pod” similar to a restaurant booth or a glass-enclosed office.

“It’s really breaking down the barriers. It’s much more of a communal environment,” added Tony Tintinalli, regional vice-president, downtown Toronto, for BMO Bank of Montreal.

The bank’s wealth management services are also now more visible. Instead of being tucked away upstairs, they’re in a corner of the branch. “It encourages more referrals,” Tintinalli says.

In addition to the visual makeover, the bank is moving toward greater integration with its online offerings.

One of the first things a customer sees when they walk through the doors at King and Bay are a bank of iPads loaded with BMO’s products and services.

Banking staff will have access to secure WiFi that allows them to move around the branch with the customer instead of being tied to their desks.

As well, public WiFi lets customers access their own accounts while in the branch. “We want customers to bring their devices in with them,” Dilda said.

Some of these features are also available in other BMO branches or are being rolled out across the country, he said.

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